Reasons Why
by heaven-hell-earth
Summary: Time traveling.Such an interesting,difficult subject to do.And let's not forget,everything done in the past effects the future.So when two beings end up traveling through time in order to bring about the best future,trouble in the form of Harry ensues.
1. Not Quite Real

Reasons Why

Chapter One

Summary: We all know, for a fact, that many things had to happen in order for the war to turn out like it did. People had to die, and others lived. But, how is it decided how these things will turn out? Simple. Hidden in the dark corners where no one looks are people who have been wronged in life. There they sit, waiting, watching, and doing. They force actions into happening so things turn out the way they were meant to. So the people who still have their lives can live happily, making the efforts of those wronged justified.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, but the invention of the Sanctus Vita Vinculum curse and Basil and Jasmine Sullivan. Thank you.**

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_August 31st, 1991:_

The large, ornate library in Hogwarts was almost empty, despite it being the middle of the night before the first day of school. A boy, who couldn't have been older than eleven, with ebony colored skin sat on a round table, a small lantern next to him. His dark brown hair was short, curls falling slightly into his eyes. Eyes that orange near the iris, then a light yellow, before the majority of the eye was a light green color.

In his hands sat a small book, no larger than the size of a muggle paperback. Muttering a spell, a dull light filled the area right before him before it turned into a figure. She was pale and see-through, just like any ghost. She, too, was eleven in looks, but not in age. No. She was far older than that. Her hair fell down to her waist and was tied into a single braid. Despite having no color, her eyes were large and innocent.

"Hello, again. It's been awhile." He whispered, reaching out to grab at her hand. A hand that fell right through his.

"Basil, stop being so depressing. You spent every night here with me this summer, remember?" She smiled. It could have been a trick of the eyes, but he swore that she grew a bit more solid, got a bit more color.

"Yes. He's starting school tomorrow. It's time to add the final preparations, Jasmine." He picked up a quill that had been lying on the table beside him. Dipping it in ink, he began to scratch out the date, his full name, and the password. The lightweight muggle-looking book suddenly transformed into a thick tome. He flipped through the pages with experience that told volumes, looking up only when she began to talk.

"Brother, we shall be fine. Because this is so important, I'll become human once more and we'll parade around as twins again. It'll be like old times." He only nodded, but the pain she saw in his eyes spoke a lot. Her death had hurt them both, but it would help the Wizarding World greatly.

Technically, she wouldn't even be alive a decade from now. The only reason she was here was because of the sacrifice of her twin brother all those years into the future. It was there when he sealed her barely living body into a book, using the _Sanctus Vita Vinculum_ curse.

It could be translated into Sacred Life Bond. In order to preform this curse, a healthy human must be completely willing to sacrifice their life for another. Using the item of their choice, one can seal another living person inside to preserve their life forever, give or take. The one who performs the curse must ritually kill themselves over said item and person, letting their life force seep into them.

Then the person who is saved is bonded to the item and becomes a phantom of sorts, but can never be seen unless they want too. The bonded person is then called a Decider. Their sole role for the rest of their lives is to make sure everything, and I mean everything, happens as it should. The person bonded is then at complete mercy of afore mentioned item. If that item is destroyed, the person bound to it will die with no hopes of ever returning to life.

The person who killed themselves for the other is known as a Guardian. Their job is to cater to the needs and wants of the Decider while also protecting the item with his/her life. If they fail to protect the item but they are still 'alive', the punishment they shall receive is so immense, it cannot be described. It is thought if they are willing to die for this person, they should be able to do it again and again without regrets.

And that leads us here.

"Just wait. Hogwarts will have no idea what hit them!" She grinned, and Basil couldn't help but smile back, eyes twinkling.

"Get ready, we have to leave soon if we're going to make this believable." Basil sighed as he stood and stretched, back cracking. There was small popping noise and was soon faced with a four foot six sister, completely human looking.

She was only an inch shorter, but people could rarely tell because she was always bouncing around. Her black hair had the slightest hint of curls to it, her dark green eyes holding a dangerous glint. Around her iris, there was the smallest hint of a circle of gold. A small smile graced her lips, as if it would be bad form if she stopped.

"Let's go!" For the first time in ages, she grabbed her brother's hand and dragged him out of the library and down corridor after corridor. With a quietly muttered spell, everything that could have alerted their presence suddenly disappeared out of existence. Except for the book, which appeared back into its deceptive form in Jasmine's right hand. She instinctively held it close, wanting to protect her life line with all she had.

_September 1st, 1991:_

With about half an hour before the train was due to leave, the twins stood within their own compartment. Yes, they were early, but they wanted to avoid as many people as possible. There was always the chance that someone would recognize them, and all their hard work would go down the drain.

"I forget, who are we prodding into action this time around?" Jasmine asked, pacing in the small space while touching everything she could get her hands on. Being without senses could drive one crazy.

"Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Draco Malfoy are the big, most noticeable ones. At least, where the students are concerned. We'll have to be careful when dealing with them." Basil was lounging on the seat, reading the large tome.

"Will we get to use our real names?"

"Yes."

"Do we have to separated?"

"Our job would be harder."

"That's a yes then, right?"

"Right."

They spent the rest of the time arguing and bantering playfully, something that they hadn't been able to do a while. A boy entered the compartment, asking if either of them had seen a toad. Both shook their heads, but Jasmine told him that he should ask a bushy-haired, bossy girl for help. Once he left, Basil rounded on her.

"Why'd you tell him that?"

"Because, Harry and Ron have to meet those two sooner or later, sooner being better. You should know that they're key parts in this whole shebang."

"I swear, I haven't seen you so excited since you played nameless pranks on Tom."

"Well, duh. Wouldn't you play tricks on the future 'Dark Lord' for some fun?" Jasmine rolled her eyes and looked at Basil as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"No. I value my life."

"One can't value what they don't have."

"Yes they can. They want it extremely bad."

Once more, they fell into silence. When the five minute call reached their ears, they turned their backs to one another and changed. Being related did have its perks.

They swept out of the compartment, their robes billowing behind them as the walked at a fairly speedy pace. Despite their act a first years, they moved through the crowds with such confidence, they were noticed by some. Mostly Slytherins, as they had a good eye for a grace that many pure-bloods used.

Following the calls of Hagrid, they gasped and looked awed all at the correct times. They didn't have to fake much, though. The view of the castle was still beautiful. Stone piled high and candles flickering, inky black sky surrounding it as a blanket. It was just as they remembered, back in their own time.

They moved with the flow while staying firmly attached to one another. Soon, they'd be separated. For a full seven years.

The giant Hagrid knocked on the large front doors three times, the sounds of other students chattering away filled their ears.

"Will the moon affect me any?" Jasmine whispered urgently as they followed Professor McGonagall. It had been awhile since she was last in the tiny corridor where the Professor would make her speech. Basil leaned up against a wall furthest from the doors, his right arm wrapped protectively around his sister's waist.

"It shouldn't. If it does, it will be small enough to hide." Even though they had been told to leave their things on the train, hidden within Jasmine's robes was her book. Hence the reason Basil was holding her so tightly, he was keeping the book from falling out.

It was a similar speech every time, so only catching snippets of what their professor sufficed in jogging their memory.

"Welcome…banquet…Great Hall…sorted…four houses…Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin…noble…triumphs…rule breaking…honor…Sorting Ceremony…I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while waiting."

"I swear, it's the same speech over and over." Jasmine whispered, bouncing up and down in unrestrained joy. Until she stopped and a look of worry fell over her face. "Who gets the book?" Fear was evident in both her tone and look. They already knew about the so called 'test', so that 'worry' never even entered her mind.

The book was the source of her power and her ability to retain a human form, but she didn't have the necessary strength to actually protect the book if it came down to a battle. All in all, deciding where the book would go could very easily undermine their efforts to protect any and all futures regarding Hogwarts.

And, considering, that they weren't going to be in the same house, in order to further insure that everything would happen according to plan, having the book be with both of them was, simply, impossible.

"You need it more, we'll figure out the rest later. Library?" He whispered, ignoring the fact that several ghosts had just floated through the wall. He noted with strange satisfaction that some screamed while others jumped.

Basil could remember, as if it was yesterday, the first time he had ever went to Hogwarts. Even then, the spirits hadn't bothered him. Growing up in a place where magical creatures reigned made it much harder to be scared when facing certain things.

"Yes, we should meet then. Before breakfast." She kept a serious face before bursting out into giggles. Jasmine commented quietly on how easily frightened this batch of first years were.

"Now form a line and follow me." Professor McGonagall ordered before marching through the opened doors. The pair made sure to be one of the last ones in line. Their name wasn't to be called until later, anyway.

Jasmine smiled broadly at the ceiling, noticing how endless and beautiful it looked. She made to reach up and touch the stars, but stopped before her hand could make it far up enough to be noticed. It was a wistful gesture, Basil noticed. Rarely was she ever able to see the true night sky, so something as simple yet complex as a bewitched ceiling delighted her. It gave her the chance to see out while staying in. A pretty bird stuck within a cage.

He started out of his thoughts when he heard, no, more of felt, his sister giggle. "It's the Sorting Hat! I haven't seen him in so long!" He could easily sense the joy she had for just seeing someone who she knew, someone that she didn't have to hide anything from. And she was even more overjoyed when the hat burst out into song.

"_Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave of heart,_

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Huffepuffs are true_

_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_If you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folk use any means_

_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!_

The noise of applause caused them both to flinched, as they weren't used to loud noises and such. The hat bowed to each of the four tables in turn before freezing once more.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," Professor McGonagall called out before unrolling a sheet of parchment. "Abbott, Hannah!"

A small, blonde girl stumbled up to the hat and put it on. It fell over her eyes and not long after, it called out Hufflepuff. Several other people where called, but they were ignored. Only when "Ganger, Hermione" was called, did the two start talking.

"She looks like a Gryffindor." Basil muttered, annoyance clearly painted on his face.

"But she acts like a Ravenclaw." Jasmine glared at her brother, even though she moved even closer to him as more and more people were called up. He winced slightly as her elbow connected lightly with his ribs.

"GRYFFINDOR!" Basil smirked while Jasmine frowned almost invisibly.

A few minutes later, Draco Malfoy was called and was sorted into Slytherin within moments of the hat touching his head. More people went. Some Slytherins, others Gryffindors. Jasmine was excited that there were a pair of twins. Maybe she could spend time with them?

"Potter, Harry."

Whispers echoed through the Great Hall. All about the 'Boy-Who-Lived'. Jasmine snorted, a rare feeling of anger clouding her forrest green eyes. For anyone who knew them, it was a well known fact that she couldn't stand Potter. Just because someone had failed to kill a baby suddenly made him a hero.

"Someone tried to kill me, but I'm still alive." she muttered darkly, watching as the Hat contemplated where Potter would end up going.

"Technically, we don't even exist." He whispered back to her.

"GRYFFINDOR!" A large cheer filled the entire hall, causing Jasmine to clamp her hands over her ears. After spending most of her time either within a book or in the library, she had learned to hate loud noises. Basil, on the other hand, could tolerate the sounds, as he had been going to Hogwarts ever since the school had been built.

"Sullivan, Basil." Professor McGonagall called. Basil moved away from his sister easily, his eyes half closed in boredom. Despite his perfect posture, he was giving off an 'I-don't-care' vibe. Sitting on the stool and placing the hat on his head, he couldn't help but smirk.

"_Back again, I see. And using your real name? I'm shocked."_

"Jasmine feels better when we use them."

"_I know. So, which house this time? Your usual?"_

"Naw. Surprise me. Just not Ravenclaw."

"_Ah. So you'll be in_-SLYTHERIN!"

Basil winced slightly. Not his norm, but that was okay. The norm could be traced and tracked and if someone was smart enough, they might figure out that they had been here before. Which is why he sincerely hoped Jasmine would be able to keep an eye on Hermione. That girl was too smart for her own good.

Basil took off the hat and made his way over to the Slytherin table. He purposely choose a less crowed spot at the table, and awaited for his sister's turn.

"Sullivan, Jasmine." Jasmine quickly made her way to the hat, a smile still gracing her lips. Her arms were wrapped around her stomach in what could be considered a nervous gesture. In reality, it was all about the book. She needed to keep it hidden.

"Hello! It's lovely to see you again! And your song, just like I remembered!" Jasmine said once the hat and been placed on her head.

"_And which house this time, Jasmine?"_

"I was thinking Ravenclaw. Ravenclaws and Slytherins get along, don't they?"

"_I suppose. Then you shall be_-RAVENCLAW!"

"I do enjoy our little chats. I wish we had them more often." Jasmine whispered before placing the hat on the stool and walked over to the Ravenclaw table. A few older students shook her hand before letting her sit down. She glanced over her shoulder to the Slytherin table.

She watched as Basil conversed with the Bloody Baron. Probably trying to convince him there's such thing as reincarnation, she mused before turning her focus to the people near her. Turning her attention to the girl next to her, she held out a hand.

"Jasmine." She said simply, wondering if the girl would accept the invitation of friendship.

"Morag." She replied while shaking her hand. Jasmine quickly noted that her wide eyes, while giving an innocent appearance, still had a jaded quality to them. For some reason, this girl reminded her for her brother.

"Lovely." Jasmine turned her attention back to Dumbledore as he began to speak. He held his hands out in a welcoming gesture, as if he couldn't be happier that another school year had started.

"Welcome! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"

He sat back down. Many people clapped and cheered.

"I like that first word, to be honest. I reminded me of the Gryffindors." Jasmine giggled before grabbing a little bit of everything. Including the peppermint humbugs. In fact she had always been quite partial to them.

Her statement had been good enough to gather a small chuckle from Morag. The two continued to chat during the feast. Neither were startled when the food was replaced with dessert. They just continued on with their discussion.

Basil, on the other hand, didn't have as warm a reception. Not that he cared. He had always let his sister take care of most social matters, as he couldn't care enough to persuade people to see his way of thinking. The few times he did speak, it was to the Bloody Baron. Once again, he had been able to convince the ghost that they had never met. Maybe it was his Grandfather he had known?

Besides, the quiet suited him just fine. In front of him sat Zabini. They had exchanged pleasantries would do the same with words now and then. Mostly, it was on the stupidity of the other houses. More importantly, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor. Strangely, there seemed to be a small amount of respect between Ravenclaw and Slytherin. It was obvious that neither bothered one another, and, in return, they wouldn't be bothered. It was nice to know that his sister wasn't in an enemy house.

Basil's head shot up when he heard an "Ouch!" From the direction of the Gryffindor table. His eyes connected with Jasmine's.

He couldn't help but let a small smirk grace his face. "First contact initiated." He muttered. Zabini looked at him with a raised eyebrow, but didn't say a word.

Not long after that, Dumbledore stood once more. The hall fell silent.

"Ahem- just a few words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.

"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.

"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.

"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to anyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Basil noted, with interest, that very few people laughed. But Harry did. But why Harry? Could it be that he was more drawn to danger than first thought? Basil had a sudden urge to read the book, to find out what it wanted them do to. Alas, he knew that it wouldn't have all the answers. Every little thing he and his sister did in the past affected the future. And it was up to them to make sure that it ended in the best way possible.

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song! Everyone pick their favorite tune, and off we go!" He waved his wand a bit and a gold ribbon twisted itself into words. Everyone belted out the words to a different tune, causing Jasmine to cover her ears and cower. The confusion of all the sounds was _not _helping her get used to both noisiness and crowds again.

The last to end were redheaded twins. If Basil had good memory, they were Weaslys.

"Ah, music. A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!" Dumbledore waved his hands after wiping his eyes.

The four houses all surged forward, separating at different points in order to get to their dormitories. Hufflepuffs and Slytherins were the first to leave, as their common rooms were in the dungeons. But, obviously, the Slytherin common room was farther down in the dungeons.

Basil moved through the halls with a confidence that told people, if they paid attention, that he knew exactly what he was doing and where he was going. Zabini studied Basil. Not even Malfoy knew the twisting turns of the labyrinth dungeons, and he had the most money. Not that having money meant he knew where everything was, but it did have its advantages.

Zabini knew of the Sullivan family. They weren't rich, but they weren't poor by any means. And the only reason Zabini even graced the poor kid with words was for two reasons. The first, was that the family were pure-bloods. Secondly, many Sullivans were gifted with a natural ability to wield magic. The way they worked, it was almost effortless. It was for that reason that their children almost always went to either Durmstrang or Beauxbaton. The fact that two, and twins no less, were sent to Hogwarts meant something. And if there was anything Zabini enjoyed, it was a good puzzle.

Basil sighed when the group had finally reached the hidden door. His ears easily picked up the password, "Tapeworm." He frowned at the uncreative word. He couldn't help but imagine Jasmine rant about uncreative passwords. In fact, that had been one of their many discussions during the summer. The memory brought a small small to his face. An actual smile, not one of his common smirks.

He shuffled in with the rest of the Slytherins. Despite the fact that Slytherin wouldn't be his first choice for a house, the familiarity of it was welcome. His sleep of seven years had kept him in darkness.

The low ceiling gave a somewhat claustrophobic feel to the room. But, after awhile, most Slytherins would come to prefer the security the low ceilings provided instead of tall, seemingly endless ones. All the lighting had a green tint to it, as it kept from extreme changes of light hurting their eyes. The dungeons were dark, and walking into a brightly lit room after navigating through mostly shadows hurt more than it was worth. Hence the green light. Black leather couches and chairs dotted the room. The stone floor was covered with a green and silver rug. Apparently, considering no one had been able to decode it yet, it was a story of one of the four founders, Salazar Slytherin. Basil knew for a fact that it the original rug, as he had been attending the school when Salazar himself commissioned it himself. The fire, which should have been burning a bright red, was a glowing green. Somehow, an enchantment had turned the flames perpetually green. Sitting on tables, hanging from hooks on walls, and some just floating, were skulls. Not only of humans, but animals as well. But, the most common factor, was that every skull was from a predator. It didn't matter, as long as it killed in order to survive, it was there. A skull of a large cat sat within the flames, not burning but causing the fire to twist in unusual ways. Some of the upside down floating skulls held candles, the major light source for Slytherins. Of course, there were many. Over several hundred, if Basil remembered right.

Being herded into the boys dorms, which were down another set of step stairs-first years at the bottom, Basil stifled a yawn. All he wanted was to sleep. In fact, it was vital. He had to meet up with Jasmine in the morning before lunch, which meant waking up earlier.

Jasmine, compared to some of the other students, was well prepared for the climb to the Ravenclaw common room. There were so many sets of staircases, though. It made you wonder how Hogwarts itself was able to keep track of it all. But, considering she had spent over three hundred years memorizing all the stairways and secret passages, she was amazed that she herself had been able to somewhat predict the school.

After finally making to the fifth floor, some navigating of the corridors was in order. Jasmine had to force herself to not franticly sprint to the bronze knocker and answer the needed question so she could just go and sleep. Sure, her body had been resting for the past few decades, but she hadn't been sleeping. When inside the book, sleep is impossible. Since she had no need for sleep, all she had to do was memorize major events and what had happened.

And now, the lack of sleep was catching up to her. She heard the knocker ask a question, an older student answered, and then everyone walked into the common room. Jasmine didn't notice anything abut the room, just that it was blue. But even that didn't register in her head. Following the rest of the first years, fell into her bed and let sleep take over.

She'd think more tomorrow. And she'd talk to Basil. When the other girls in her room had fallen asleep, her curtains closed automatically. The book floated out of her robes and flipped open to a random page. It was still a muggle book, so the words conveyed no hidden message about what the book really contained.

And as she slept, she faded until she was barely visible. Because, in reality, she didn't exist.

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**A/N: I'm writing this story as I read the books, so things may change depending on what I read. Also, my sister read the books compulsively for several years, so I'm asking her for help whenever possible. Im you're reading this, thanks Adrianne! And if you've been reading some of my other stories, I'll post the next chapter of Untold Memories soon!**

**Please review, it gives me inspiration and makes me happy. I want to improve my writing, so please help.**


	2. Best and Worst Futures

Reasons Why

Chapter Two

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, thank you very much.**

**WARNING: At the moment, I'm only on the first book, but I ****_will _be doing all seven. Which means, SPOILERS!**

**If you don't want to read a ridiculously long authors note, then don't. But it might answer any questions you have about this story. Maybe. It depends on wether or not you like reading/listening to rants.**

**A/N: You might have guessed, but I'm taking creative license during this story. I'm mostly focusing on the untold parts and people of the series, as some of you may have figured out. Which means, I'll mostly be using Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs the most with some less used Slytherins. I may skip big parts in the books (and yes, I am planning on doing all seven books) mostly because the parts have to do with Harry and his problems and there isn't a way for Basil and Jasmine to manipulate his situation. You might not have noticed, but they need to stay on school grounds. They can't leave the school and randomly mess with people.**

**Also, I will be focusing on both the good and bad sides of each house. I enjoyed reading the books, but I didn't like how J. K. Rowling made Gryffindors 'good' and Slytherins 'bad' while the other houses were just,_ there. _My goal is to, while entertaining all of you readers, to show both the good and bad sides of each house. I believe it was Hagrid who said that there was never a witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin. Well, good for him, but what about the good witches and wizards? If all of them went bad, Slytherins would be ruling the world by now. It's a fact and all of you know that it's true. And I also doubt that _only _Slytherins went bad. It's just not possible. I bet that if Lord Voldemort had been in any other house, he still would have become Lord Voldemort. **

**Also, I hated how Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs are pretty much ignored until Harry had a use for them. So, you don't know much about them. Except that Miss Cho has a gaggle of giggling girls with her at all times. Or Luna is 'crazy', but she's my favorite character anyway. Then again, I haven't read the books in a while and I'm writing this story as I read each book. So maybe I'm wrong. Thanks for reading my rant, if you were brave enough to do so.

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**

"There, look."

"Where?"

"Next to the tall kid with red hair." Jasmine said helpfully as she walked past two second year Hufflepuffs. They nodded gratefully before they continued gossiping. She passed many students in the hallways to the Library.

'Did you see his face?'s and 'Did you see his scars?'s followed her the entire way until she walked into the solitude that was the Library. It felt like her home, considering that most of her life had been spent wandering the large place.

When inside her book, she had the ability to transport herself from book to book. So she'd pend hours upon hours reading various book on a variety of topics. In fact, if one looked hard enough, they could even find some muggle books, both non-fiction and fiction. And, when she first died, that's where she spent most of her time. But, as is normal if one is almost constantly reading, she had gone through every book in the library at _least _three times. And those are the long, boring ones that only a few people read here of there. Her favorites? Those have been read, at the very least, thirty times.

And she would have suffered from boredom, if it wasn't for the fact she had found a way to transport herself to different magical libraries around the world. She knew a majority of the spoken languages, and practically all of the of the written ones. That meant whenever Basil went to school and she had to entertain herself, sometimes she could be found halfway around the world, curled up in her imaginary chair reading a book.

Sure, she was the younger twin, but for the past who-knows-how-long, she had been doing Basil's homework. Most of the time it was just so he could focus on prodding people onto the right track, but sometimes, just sometimes, she wanted a feeling of normalcy. Which is why she sometimes had to force Basil to hand over his work.

Jasmine looked around for a bit before finding Basil at a table near the back. He was sprawled out on the table, snoring lightly. She couldn't help but giggle at him before prodding him awake. He jerked awake, his eyes darting around. He didn't calm down until it finally registered in his head where he was.

"Did I startle you?" Jasmine asked, tilting her head to the side. She knew that Basil couldn't resist it.

"What do you think?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. He had once seen a Malfoy do it. Since then, he had been practicing until it was perfect. At the moment, he was better than any current Malfoys. Good thing he doesn't run into them on a daily basis, isn't it?

"Yes?" Jasmine just smiled before sitting down. She placed her bag on the ground before digging through it. Basil jut watched in boredom until she pulled the book out. "Who gets the book?"

"You get the book on weekdays, I on weekends. If there is an event in which you need magic, either you'll stay near me or you can have the book." Basil sighed, completely bored. He had pulled out a quill and was playing with it.

"When did you figure all this out?" She asked, leaning forward enough to rest her elbows on the table.

"The second you asked." She looked up in shock when he said this. Since when was her brother a quick thinker? "I'm hungry." Basil stood with his bag and headed toward the doors.

"Don't leave me!" She hissed as she chased after him. She had left the book on the table, but it just transported itself into her hands.

Yes, the book. It was source of all her power, all of her magical ability. If she tried to preform any sort of magic without the book near her, her energy reserves would be tapped into. Those reserves were the only thing keeping her solid. But, despite her being able to preform magic when the book was with her, she still didn't have the practical side of magic down yet. She didn't come out of the book often enough in solid form to be able to do so. Though, even if she wasn't as far advanced as her brother, she was still better than most students. Once she started practicing, of course. After about one year, she'd be able to preform seventh year magic easily. It took a year mostly because she had to relearn a lot.

She fell into step with him. They were able to easily predict the way the other would move, making it a simple task to weave through the multitudes of students heading to the Great Hall without getting separated from one another.

It wasn't long before they made it the Great Hall. Basil had found many shortcuts through his years at Hogwarts. When entering, she took notice of the way the house tables were arranged. The night before, she had been too excited to really pay attention to any of it. The table closest to the doorway was Slytherin. She wasn't surprised to find that Malfoy was surrounded by a large group of people. Next were the Ravenclaws. Jasmine couldn't help but smile when she saw Morag saving her a seat. Then were the Hufflepuffs. She had to admit, they weren't bad people. In fact, Basil was originally a Hufflepuff. It was the first house he was ever sorted into.

She and Basil separated in order to go to their tables, Jasmine couldn't help but scowl to the last table, Gryffindor. They weren't bad, per se, but they weren't her favorite people in the world. It was probably their hero complex that annoyed her. Their obliviousness, their 'heroic actions'. It all made her sick. In all her years, she had yet to meet a Gryffindor who actually took things seriously. On the brighter side? The alienation Hermione faced made helping her easy. Though she did feel a pang in her heart for the girl. It's not easy being alone. She was probably a good example of that. Sure, she had her brother. But, for all those years he spent either sleeping or in school? She didn't get to see him. For years at a time they would rarely get a chance to talk. That's probably why she wanted to actually have a true friendship with Hermione. They both needed it.

Not saying that she didn't have a friendship with Morag, but the other girl was more of a way to pass time. She wouldn't be able to spend much time with Basil. And even if she was able to, he'd have his hands full with trying to bend stubborn Slytherins to his will. A very difficult and rigorous task. So Jasmine was, for the first time, going to enjoy her time here and make a few friends. Hell, maybe she'd be able to keep them, even if she'd never be able to see them after her seven years were up.

Jasmine moved quickly, giving Morag a smile as she sat down. Morag had pulled her shoulder length raven hair into a low ponytail, different from yesterday as she had left her hair loose. Jasmine, knowing she didn't have potions today, had left her own hair down from its usual braid. Considering she had taken a shower only a few minutes before she had met Basil, it was still a little damp but it curled beautifully.

"What classes do we have today?" Jasmine asked, grabbing some toast and jam.

"First we have Herbology with Hufflepuffs, then History of Magic with Slytherins, lunch, Charms with Gryffindors, and lastly, Transfiguration with Hufflepuffs." Morag recited easily. Jasmine regarded the other student with awe.

"Have the schedule memorized already? I'm impressed." Both girls looked up when a boy butted into their conversation. "Boot. Terry Boot."

"Jasmine Sullivan." Jasmine looked at him carefully, trying to remember if he had any purpose. That's not meant in a mean way, of course. Everyone has a purpose. But the question is, how much do his actions effect the best possible future? She couldn't remember ever seeing his picture in the book, nor could she bring up a memory of reading about him. Maybe he wasn't needed until later?

"Morag MacDougal."

After the pleasantries and summarized life stories, something which Jasmine skipped, the conversation easily turned over to classes. From keeping mostly quite and paying attention to what her two new 'friends' said, she learned little facts about them. Some things which may end up being helpful in later on.

She learned that Terry, Michael Corner, and Anthony Goldstein had become fast friends through late-night-male-bonding-time.

Morag was worried about the rumors of Professor Snape.

Terry loved the muggle candy called Pixie Stix.

Morag had a little brother who might be a Squib.

Terry found Hufflepuffs to be the most likable out of all the houses.

Morag liked Slytherins because they'd do anything to get what they wanted.

Both disliked Gryffindors because they'd rather mess around than take anything seriously.

Then again, almost everything they said about Gryffindors _was_ biased. Many of the older Ravenclaws had grudges against Gryffindors for some reason or another. Mostly it was because they were ridiculed for liking classes and following rules.

For the past six years, Ravenclaws had been a close second to Slytherins, the winners of the past six years, in the battle for the House Cup. Why? They did what they were told and they did it well. The only reason Slytherins tended to win was because they either cheated or the Ravenclaws decided their efforts would be better put to use in something more _entertaining_.

Like secretly sabotaging the Gryffindor brooms in either a practice session or during an actual match against either Slytherin or Hufflepuff. Which had happened quite often in the past few years. The surprising thing? They have never been caught. _Never_. Which probably earned them at least a little respect from the snakes.

Shaking her head a little, Jasmine forced herself out of her daze. She had subconsciously taken note of everything the two had said. Now, she needed a distraction. She had plenty of time to let her mind wander, now was not the time.

"I don't know about you, but I want to head out early. We might get lost." She gave them one of her disarming smiles once there was a lull in the conversation. She had perfected it over the years, so almost everyone would fall under the spell. Ha! A spell that required no magic easily took down two intelligent people, both magic wielders.

"Yeah. That's a good idea. I'll grab Michael and Anthony and we'll all go." She nodded, smile still in place. She looked over at Morag, and her smile quickly turned into a smirk. It looked like the other girl was crushing on Terry. Not that she could blame her. He was good looking, she supposed. But in a boyish way. Jasmine, who had gone through puberty multiple times in the past centuries, had quickly discovered what she liked in a man. Sadly, she wouldn't date the mature, dependable types she liked until two things happened. First, she needed to hit puberty so it wouldn't be weird or awkward. Second, she actually needed to _find _a mature, dependable guy.

The last one she had had been years ago. Several decades if she remembered correctly. And Tom had been such a nice fellow, despite the fact he wanted to take over the Wizarding World for some stupid reason she couldn't be bothered to remember.

Then again, she did have a part in that. Setting it up so he went to the orphanage, making his life miserable, randomly dumping him. All in a day's work. And yes, she did plan his life so he would one day have a flash of inspiration and decide that he wanted to be known as Lord Voldemort. Though, it did take a long time before he trusted her enough to date her. But, he isn't one of the greatest Dark Lords for nothing. Their dating was done in secret. Why? The excuse was because neither wanted Basil to find out, hunt poor Tommy down, and then, quite horridly, kill him with his all time favorite curse,_ Atrox Somnium_.

Basil had invented it himself, but she didn't tell Tom. Oh no, then he'd know something was up. It took time, practice, and patience to invent a spell, curse, charm, jinx, whatever. So if a fourth year boy invented a spell, not a good thing to let a future Dark Lord know. But, everyone knew from early on that no messed with Basil's sister, or they'd be cursed into nothingness.

The sad thing was, Tom actually was a nice guy. If she had been human and he wasn't supposed to become a Dark Lord, she would have totally started planning their wedding and the names of their children. Besides, he wasn't that bad looking. Now, though? Ugly.

Strange thing? If her dear Tommy, and yes, she did play many practical jokes on him before dating him, didn't become Mister Voldie, all wizards and witches would be turned into ducks. No joke. She had no idea in hell how that was possible, but it was. If Tommy didn't try and take over the world, like all good villains, everyone would become a duck. Or maybe it was Canadian geese? She couldn't be bothered to remember.

Jasmine automatically got out of her chair and followed the others. As she began to move, she forced her thoughts away so she'd be able to look at Basil. The twin seemed to be having an intense conversation with the boy sitting across from him. She wished Basil the best of luck before mentally planning how to approach Hermione.

Basil, once he and his sister separated, he began to feel more at ease. Very strange and unusual, but true. It probably had to do with the fact that he normally went to school when she wasn't around. If she wasn't around, she was safe. A fact that was normal in his life. Besides, he had given her a list of his favorite spells that he had invented himself. And those spells could get her out of many predicaments. Hell, he had probably made those spells just so she wouldn't get into as much trouble with other students. But, with so many memories in his head, couldn't pull up the _exact _reason why he had created the spells. Hm. Maybe he was just bored?

Jasmine was a happy and free soul, and most of the time didn't realize the consequences of her actions. She was intelligent enough that to guess her way out of most situations, but that knowledge had only come with time. She had died young because she didn't know what she was doing. Basil had even told her that going into the forest would idiotic. There_ is _a reason why the Forbidden Forest is off-limits. But, of course, she had to run off and get herself almost killed, didn't she? She wouldn't be Jasmine if she didn't plan. Or think.

Damn werewolves. If another gets anywhere _near _his sister, Basil would be sure to kill it without a moments hesitation. Werewolves may be dangerous, but they've got nothing on Basil. He's been around longer than anyone in this entire school, including the ghosts. He's seen and experienced more than anyone could ever hope to achieve.

Then again, sometimes he did believe it to be a curse, more than a gift.

"What are you thinking of?" Basil looked up when the question was asked. Zabini was looking at him, an indifferent mask carefully in place. But he could easily see the curiosity in the other boy's eyes. They weren't exactly friends, but they weren't enemies either. They were simply two boys who accepted the other's presence because they didn't want to be completely alone. They pretended to be friends for both protection and their own selfish needs. Basil needed Zabini in order to control Malfoy. Zabini wanted to find out why the twins had been sent to Hogwarts. It was a well-known fact that Sullivans, while not rich, were extremely good with magic. It was also well known that Sullivans are taught at a young age to not depend on anyone but themselves. So the fact that a Sullivan family kept two children together is very unusual. And very interesting.

"Why?" Basil asked right on back, wishing that he had the book. He wanted, no, needed to know of the other boy would be a danger to him.

"You were frowning." Basil raised his eyebrow at the answer. Since when did Zabini care if he frowned? "And you were growling." Ah, that's why Zabini was interested. Basil knew he had a pretty decent mask, and rarely did he actually show what he was feeling. The only times it broke was when he was with Jasmine or he was feeling extreme emotion.

"I was remembering the past." Basil shrugged before quickly eating his breakfast before standing up. "See you in class." He quickly moved out of the Great Hall, catching sight of Jasmine before she turned a corner with several people surrounding her. Basil glanced around before heading to the Headmaster's office.

Once reaching the gargoyle that protected the office, Basil just grinned at the statue as it asked for the password.

"You know I don't have it, but you _are _going to let me in, right?" Basil couldn't help but smirk. Yes, it broke his mask. But, _man_. It felt good threatening something again. Those seven years of sleep always left him feeling very violent. You see, normally Basil waited until he figured out the password. He'd just hang around until somebody said it. Then all he'd do is walk right on up and talk to Dumbledore. But it was important. He didn't have the time to wait.

"No." The gargoyle just smirked back. What could this little kid do?

"Fine then." Basil pulled out his wand, pointing it right at the gargoyle. It was a eleven inch ivy with a core of unicorn hair. Very, and I mean very, good for inducing illusions. "_Silencio. Atrox Somnium_."

At first, the gargoyle was fairly amused that the kid would use a silencing charm. It didn't recognize the other spell, but that was soon the farthest thing from his mind. Despite being a statue, it could move, and did so often. But now, it's entire body was frozen solid, and could only as it's worst nightmares played before its very eyes.

Basil smirk became a full-fledged grin as he watched the statue struggling. It was times like these when he wished that he could hear the screams. Sadly, if he took of the charm, people would want to know what was happening. And Basil couldn't have that.

"You know, you don't have to do this. All you have to do is let me go by, and I'll remove the curse. However, if you tell anyone, I'll have to come back and never remove it. Understand?" Basil whispered in a fake, sympathetic voice. In reality, all he wanted to do is see something bleed, die. Thinking about werewolves didn't exactly help keep himself calm, and he was completely ready to destroy something. Anything. Anyone.

But, he watched in amusement as the gargoyle nodded and jumped to the side, letting Basil pass. He lifted both spells from the fidgeting gargoyle. Though Basil was a little disappointed. Just a tad. He had to lower the strength of the curse so the gargoyle could hear him. Otherwise, the gargoyle wouldn't have known that a spell had been cast, and would have been stuck within the illusion until Basil got tired of watching. And once it was over, the gargoyle still wouldn't have let Basil past. But, at the moment, Basil was just glad he had gotten to the Headmaster's office.

He knocked on the door before entering. He ignored everything in the room, except Dumbledore. He had to stay focussed. If he went crazy, all of their work would be undone. No good would come from that.

"I need to stay calm, Jasmine needs to stay happy." Basil said quickly, his wand still clenched in his left hand. Him, being an idiot, had let his mind wander into the past. Which then made him irritable. Scratch that. It made him almost uncontrollably angry and violent, if his enjoyment in the pain of the gargoyle was any indication.

Dumbledore smiled at him. "What do you believe should happen?" His eyes twinkled in merriment. Basil just frowned.

"I don't know or care. I have a feeling that I'll blow something up if I don't get control of myself. Jasmine, once she sees me, is going to freak out as well." Basil closed his eyes as he pocketed his wand. If he kept it in his hand any longer, he really would blow something up.

"I suggest that you keep your mind focussed on what needs to happen, and you won't fail."

Basil soaked in the advice before turning and walking out the door. Right before he left he said his equivalent of a farewell.

"Prepare a will." And with that, the older twin was gone. Dumbledore's eyes sparkled, somehow, after years of knowing the twins, understanding what the slightly cryptic message meant.

The rest of the week flew by, the twins easily loosing themselves in the way of Hogwarts. Before they knew it, Friday was there. And an interesting Friday it was going to be at that.

Basil was waiting in one of the secret passage ways he knew Jasmine was going to take. He had to talk to her today. Once she reached him, they continued side-by-side down to the Great Hall.

"I have double potions today. I've gotten close enough to Zabini to manipulate him a bit. You have to start with Granger." Basil glanced at his sister while he was speaking. His lips twitched slightly when he caught her rolling her eyes.

"Stop ordering me around!" She whined loudly. They were early to breakfast, as usual, so there weren't many people there to stare at them. She hated how her brother thought so little of her. "You can't control me. I can do this myself!" Jasmine pouted, trying to get Basil to see it her way. It didn't work.

It was hard, but Basil had to try in order to keep his face blank. It was probably easier than it should have been, considering all homicidal urges had been taken care of earlier in the week. Let's just say, he had visited the Gargoyle later that same night with a fully powered curse. "You listening to me has gotten our jobs done. If you don't hurry, your window of opportunity will close and you'll have to work even harder to correct your mistakes."

"I hate it when you do that! I'm able to keep myself out of trouble just fine!"

"What about that problem with the giant spiders?"

"I was young, inexperienced."

"The enchanted light fixtures?"

"So not my fault my wand randomly decided to enchant things."

"The zombie rats?"

"They were _not _zombies! They were accidentally reanimated dead rats, okay?"

"The 'accidentally' hatched basilisk?"

"How was I supposed to know that a toad hatching a chicken egg would make a basilisk? It was for a research project!"

"Trying to hide a basilisk?"

"Not my fault it was trying to poison me!"

"Having to learn parseltongue in order to control said basilisk?"

"Okay, not my brightest idea. Considering I _still _don't know how to speak it."

"Giving said basilisk to Professor Slytherin so he could kill all muggle-borns?"

"Fine! You happy now? I'll go gain Hermione's trust." Jasmine crossed her arms, frowning. "Meanie-pants."

"Very." He said, ignoring Jasmine's pathetic attempt at an insult. Once within the Great Hall, the two separated, Jasmine stomping off in order to join her small group of friends in Ravenclaw. Basil silently chuckled at the sight.

Before he knew it, he was quickly making his way through the dungeons. Zabini was at his side, wondering how the other student knew his way around so well. It had been a week and if Zabini wasn't with Basil, there was a very good chance he wouldn't make it to his class on time.

Neither spoke, as was the usual for them. They both found it useless to gossip, chat for no reason, or brag. And that's why, despite the fact they were both using each other, they had become decent friends. Of course, neither would spill their deepest, darkest secrets. But they weren't as indifferent as they pretended to be. It's a well known fact that most people can't survive well without other people around. It's also a shocking fact that Slytherins are actually people. Therefore, most Slytherins need another human being to talk to, otherwise they face complete and utter insanity.

The two Slytherins were one of the first people there, Granger being the first. She sat near the front, alone. She had turned when the turn entered the classroom, and Basil couldn't help but give her a small smile. It was quick, almost nonexistent, but he knew she had caught it. The surprised look on her face gave it away.

The two Slytherins quickly made their way to the very back of the classroom. It was more of Basil's idea of where to sit, really. He wanted to be able to see everyone. And that is so much easier the farther back one sits. If Zabini had any complaints on where they were sitting, he said nothing.

It wasn't long before students started filing in. The Gryffindors were shivering and complaining about the cold. The dungeons, as they were underground, are much colder then the rest of the castle. Slytherins are probably the only ones not affected by the cold, since they live even farther down in the dungeons. In fact, if someone was actually able to ask Slytherins what their favorite season was without either being laughed at, insulted, or attacked, they would either say winter or autumn.

Snape, much like Professor Flitwick, started class by doing roll call. Snape had decided to say some snappy remark about Harry. It didn't take long before Snape started his riveting speech about potions. Basil liked the Potions class fine, but he enjoyed Charms and Transfiguration much more. He preferred classes where he could get ideas for new spells. Jasmine, on the other hand, adored Potions. She had never really excelled in classes where obvious magic was needed.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making. As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe that this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses… I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death – if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads I usually have to teach." Snape was one of the few teachers that could actually keep a class quiet for long periods of time. His voice was barely louder than a whisper, but it was easily heard in the room. There was something about Professor Snape that kept the students quiet. Maybe the waves of killing intent that rolled off his body?

Basil couldn't help but smirk when he saw Potter's confused look when Snape began quizzing him on potion ingredients. The only reason he knew what they were was because Jasmine had drilled it in to his head one night during the summer.

What would you get if you added powered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood? The Draught of Living Death.

Where would you look if you wanted a bezoar? It's a stone from the stomach of a goat. It can cure most poisons.

What's the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane? None. They're the same plant.

Basil's eyes crinkled in interest when Snape answered his own questions. And Basil was right. If only the Professor had called on him, then maybe something more interesting would have happened.

After that episode, the class was fairly dull, besides the time when Longbottom melted his cauldron. Both he and Zabini had to hold back laughter when boils started popping up all over. But besides that, the class was uneventful.

Basil didn't bother waiting for Zabini. The other boy had told Basil earlier that he'd be heading down to the dungeons right after class. Basil, knowing that his sister had gotten out of Herbology an hour earlier, headed up to the Library to meet her. Actually, he wasn't going to meet her there. He was going to stand behind some bookshelves and spy on her. Just to make sure she did as she was told. Basil shook his head in annoyance. Really, those seven years in Gryffindor had rotted her brain. And made her much more defiant than she used to be.

Entering the Library silently, he moved quickly along the bookcases until he found Jasmine doodling on a piece of parchment. Staying hidden, he watched his sister. She had an entire week to figure out what she was going to do. Now it was time to see if it was even possible for her to come up with a plan.

Not long after Basil settled in, Hermione entered the Library.

Jasmine looked up when she felt a small tingle at the nape of her neck. She spotted Hermione moving to one of the many studying tables. That tingle, she had figured out early on, alerted her when a target either enters or leaves a room. The intensity of the tingle completely depends on the person and their personality.

Hermione's tingle was gentle and could easily be confused for a soft breeze. It was, strangely enough, calming. Ron's was quick, and somewhat painful. It's sort of like getting stung by a bee, it hurts, but then it's gone. Harry's was that pins and needles feeling. You know, that strange feeling that you feel when a limb falls asleep? That was Harry's. And then there was the Draco Tingle, as Jasmine had so lovingly dubbed it. It was this annoying itch that _would not _go away no matter how many times she scratched at it. And it would just _stay there _for several minutes until it got bored of tormenting her. She'd be lying if she said she didn't try and avoid Draco as much a possible.

Once the other girl had settled in, Jasmine gathered up her things and moved over towards her. Sitting down a across from Hermione, Jasmine flashed her a quick smile.

"Hello. I'm Jasmine Sullivan!" Once again, Jasmine made use of her disarming smile. It seemed to put the other girl at ease a little. She was still jumpy though. Jasmine made a quick mental note to not make any sudden movements.

"Hermione Granger." She looked back down at her book. Jasmine recognized the book easily. _Hogwarts: A History _had always been one of her favorites.

"I know. I heard that you're the best in Transfiguration. For our year, of course. I wanted to ask for your advice on the essay she gave us last class." Jasmine caught the look Hermione was about to give her, so she hurried on to finish her train of thought. "I don't want to copy, I swear! Since our essay was on the basics of Transfiguration, I wanted to branch out a bit and talk about possible reasons why some people grasp the concepts on Transfiguration better than others. You're good, and I wanted to ask about what you do in class and compare it to several students I've asked."

"I visualize what I want it to become in my head. And I actually concentrate. Most people in my class can't even to be bothered to do that." Hermione looked a little sad as she said that. Maybe being excluded was hurting her more than it was helping the cause? Jasmine promised herself that she'd talk to Basil about it, to see if it was possible to speed up Hermione's friendship problems and make things better.

"Thanks! Do you mind if I work here? I might have more questions the longer I work…" It wasn't hard getting Hermione to agree in letting Jasmine sit there. They worked quietly, only breaking the silence for questions. They ended up working past lunch and Jasmine was surprised when she saw the time.

"I've got to go. I've DADA now." Jasmine stood and repacked her belongings. They bid each other farewell, but, right before she raced off, she said one last thing. "You've should've been a Ravenclaw. Even though you aren't, I hope we can be friends." Jasmine moved so fast after that, you'd have thought something horrid was chasing her.

She frowned once she made it out of the Library, easily falling into step with Basil who, as far as she knew, had been standing there the entire time.

"Friends?"

"Can you just wait a second? I'm tried, bored, and hungry. I actually had to _take _my time doing homework today, instead of flying through it. You know how painful that is? And on top of that, I'm hungry! I skipped lunch because you, and now I have to go to a joke of a class! I learned more defense spells hanging around with Tommy than I do with an actual teacher!"

Basil had pulled out a sandwich during her rant and was eating it. "You want any?" His question was answered when said sandwich was stolen and devoured in a matter of seconds. "And will you refrain from calling him that nickname? You aren't dating him anymore."

"Of course I wouldn't be dating him _now_. Not only is he old, he's ugly. Very, very ugly. But he's still my Tommy."

"You two broke up."

"He wanted to take over the world. _I _wanted to settle down and have children."

"You can't get married and you can't have kids."

"Crush my dreams, why don't you?"

"It's the truth."

"Well, he's my Tommy and _you _can't stop that!"

"I'll curse him to death."

"No you can't! If you do, then _another _Dark Lord will take over."

"He can't be as bad as Voldemort."

"You're right. He's worse."

"That's impossible. We chose this path because, despite all the death, killing, and absolute misery, it was harder to get any worse than this. And this was the best possible future."

"You're right. The worst, which _will _happen if Tommy is killed by the wrong person, is Dark Lord Ronald."

Basil tried to hide a snort. "You're joking, right?"

"No, I'm not! If Tommy is killed by the wrong person, Ron goes crazy and becomes the next Dark Lord. Harry will be his most devoted follower, and since most people will do whatever Harry says, taking over the world will be easy!"

"Since when did your dreams get so vivid?"

"And then, Harry will decide that _he _wants to be the Ultimate Ruler, so he'll off Dark Lord Ronald and become just that, Ultimate Ruler Harry!"

"Sounds lovely." Now it was obvious that Basil had stopped paying attention to Jasmine, despite the fact she was still ranting.

"And then, completely pissed off, Draco offs Harry during a majestic battle and becomes Supreme Master Malfoy. And then, he enslaves the entire human race for the rest of time."

"Amazing."

"And that's why you can't kill Tommy. And and the whole soul thing."

"Fine. I won't kill him. I'll just torture him a bit."

"You can't do that either, if you do-"

"Hey, look. Your classroom. I bet whatever you were going to tell me has to do with ultimate destruction, so I'll wait for that enchanting story about what will happen to the world if I do something idiotic with bated breath." Basil gave a small wave. "Bye, now."

"I _hate _your sarcasm. Mark my words, if Tommy didn't hate me right now, I'd send him after you. And why aren't you going to class? We have this class together!"

"Not possible, as he was only using you to get to me." Basil smirked as he walked down the hallway. He knew it'd take a few seconds before Jasmine would realize what he said. But when she did, it's be hilarious. "And I'm skipping. I don't feel too good."

"Shut up, Basil! Tommy is not GAY!" She screamed at him, despite the fact people paused to stare at them. "You're so not sick! You just don't want to spend time with me! Is that right? You're such a horrible person! I bet you're just jealous that Tommy likes _me _more than _you_!"

Ah. Sometimes, revenge could be sweet. Very sweet indeed. And yes, he's horribly jealous that Lord Voldemort likes his sister more than himself. Cue sarcasm, please. Besides, he needed to go find Zabini and see if he would have a partner in crime while skipping class. Besides, it wasn't as if Professor What's-His-Name would care. He'd be too busy stuttering, anyway.


	3. Rules of Survival

Reasons Why

Chapter Three

**IMPORTANT! Now that I have your attention, I have a question for all of you readers. What type of Patronus should Jasmine and Basil have? Some ideas for Jasmine are: otter, raven, and jaguar. Basil's are: wolf, snake, and scorpion. If you have any other suggestions, great! Please share and help me figure this out. Thanks in advance! Now, I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

Jasmine stared at the clipped out article from the _Daily Prophet_. The edges were frayed and the words were almost illegible because it had been folded countless times. She couldn't be sure how old it was, just that it had been written and cut out after July 31st. She had stolen it from Harry's robes before dinner that day by accidentally bumping into him. She was lucky she didn't have to stand outside the Great Hall for hours just so she could get the stupid thing.

Now here's the important question. Why in hell did she want a newspaper article, out of all things? She had a feeling. A feeling that whatever Harry had found would end up being important later on. The book, no matter how much she tried, would only tell her little details. Little things that would help bring about the best possible future. The book would tell her about friends and enemies, relationships and favorites classes. Books they read, family life, things they find interesting. Favorite things, things they hate, and mental or physical problems. Personalities and breaking points. The way they think and ways they react. Why they hate and love and how much they do. Little things about the actual people.

But the book never went out of its way to say exactly what was going to happen. The near future. Most of the time, Basil would be able to gather enough information to guess correctly on the possibilities that could happen. Then they could prepare for all the different outcomes. The only time he had guessed wrong was when they had first started out in the past and he didn't think Salazar would randomly disappear. If he hadn't just left, there would have been an even better future. But still, he hadn't made a mistake in prediction in over seven hundred years. He was smart like that, and Jasmine couldn't help but feel pride for her brother well up inside.

She frowned as she sat on the floor of the Library. She was in a unused corner where the muggle books were stashed. The fact that a few cobwebs decorated the shelves told her that people rarely visited this area. Jasmine didn't feel like being bothered at the moment, she needed to think. She and Basil were fighting, especially since he decided to skip out on Defense class. She only went to her last class of the day to tell Morag that she wasn't feeling well and wouldn't make it to dinner.

She loved him. She hated him. It was so complicated, really. She couldn't survive without him, that's for sure. She loved the fact that he'd be there for her no matter. Hell, he was still putting up with her and her childish antics. But she hated his bossiness, how he had to control everything. What she hated most of all is when he would sneak off in the middle of the night to the Forbidden Forest. One time, she had followed him there. Jasmine had sat up in a tree and watched with horror as he tortured small, unidentified creatures. And the worst, part? He was always in a better mood in the days following. What had happened to her sweet, older brother? The brother that belonged in kindhearted Hufflepuff, not dangerous Slytherin. In some deep, dark part of her, she had a feeling that Basil was the one who grew up. That he could easily be making his way in the world, while she was still a first year, stumbling behind.

That hurt her so much inside, it shouldn't possible. But it was. And it _hurt_. How could someone she loved more than anything in the world be so violent? So cruel? Yes, she pretended to still care for Tom, but it was an act. And she was quite sure Basil knew it too. It was too dangerous to get attached, since she had no idea whether or not someone she cared for would end up dying before she could hide away within her book. And even if they did survive the seven years, she would never be able to communicate, let alone see them again. She wouldn't be able to stand that. That's why she stayed with her brother. That's why she loved her brother.

_He couldn't die._

Alright. Fine. He could. But he was strong enough to live much longer than she. Jasmine was weak, powerless. She needed that damned book in order to just cast the most simple of spells. A stupid book that wouldn't even _exist _if she hadn't been an idiot. She was a born Ravenclaw! She was supposed to be smart! But noooo. She _had _to prove him wrong, didn't she? She had to show that she could take care of herself. That she was independent and didn't _need _her brother in order to be protected.

And that's why she was going to figure it out on her own. For the first time since she had been 'reborn', she was going to figure out the near future. And manipulate it so it'd be exactly how she wanted it. All she had were her instincts, her thirst for knowledge, and a stolen newspaper article. Now, all she needed to do was to find out what was in that vault.

The problem? She had no idea how to figure it out. Maybe Hagrid would know, maybe not. But it wasn't as if she could just walk up to him and ask him. Hell, she couldn't walk up to any of her teachers and talk to them. They might remember her from past years. She made sure to never excel in any class and she always turned her homework in on time. She never raised her hand or spoke out in class. All in all, it was as if she wasn't even there. After years of practice, she had finally become invisible in plain sight.

The only one besides Basil who knew she existed was Dumbledore, and that's only because he figured it out. In Jasmine's opinion, the old man was too smart for his own good. Though, he was useful whenever they needed help with leaving and returning from the school.

She glanced down at the book sitting innocently in her lap. Pulling out her wand, she transfigured it so it was a small book shaped pendant on a silver chain. After slipping it on, she stood up and stretched. If she was going to figure out the near future by herself, she would need to learn how to defend herself. Since she was in a library, why not use it? Any spell she would come across she _should _be able to do after a bit of practice.

Let the games begin.

Basil frowned as he watched his sister flip through book after book. He noticed the determined sparkle in her eye and, grudgingly, stayed hidden. If he got close now, she'd most likely curse him with a variation of one of his own spells. Books on both Light, Dark, and Gray Magic surrounded her, as well as books on magical intent, the nature of spells and magic, and obscure and advanced protection, detection, and attacking magics.

But, those books weren't the ones that caused a sense of worry deep within Basil. No. It was the muggle written books. Books on the human mind, sense of self, reactions, and probabilities. Books on illusions, hallucinations, drugs, and manipulation. Books on anatomy, pressure points, blind spots, and torture techniques. Basil knew that Jasmine was planning something big. What? At the moment, he didn't know. But he'd find out. He may have been a Hufflepuff, once upon a time, but Slytherin was his new home. And if Slytherins knew how to do anything, it was gathering information. Besides, the Sorting Hat, back in the time of the Founders, had told him 'You're innocence and love of the world has been lost, so your heart rarely shows kindness to others. Never will you be Hufflepuff, not until you find your heart.'

Not that he even wants to be Hufflepuff now. He's quite content being in Slytherin, now that he's back in the habit of it. Though, no matter how many times he's in Slytherin, it never feels _right. _It does, but then it doesn't. But, the majority of the time, he locks away the feelings inside a metal chest that resides within his head.

He watched as her hand flew across parchment, jotting down notes that she must have found important. But, as much as he would like to just stand there, he had things to do. The most important? Reading every newspaper article from the past seven years. It was annoying, not knowing what was going on. He knew the big things, Jasmine had been kind enough to go over some things on the train, but, sometimes, the smaller things held important details.

He would have used the book, but Jasmine wouldn't willingly give it up at the moment. If the types of books she was reading gave him any clue, she'd probably test out new spells she just learned on anyone who dared to bother her. She was dangerous that way.

Frowning, he headed to the very back of the Library. It was dark, compared to the rest of the brightly lit Library, but it was cozy. Free floating candles gave light instead of lanterns. The bookshelves were closer together, giving the searcher a sense of security. Only the most dedicated of readers came to this section of the Library on a regular basis. And it was only here, in the entire school, where peace reigned supreme. But, there was a rule. In order for the peace to remain, no one mustn't speak of it outside the confines of the shadows.

Here even Slytherins and Gryffindors were friendly, if only because there was a requirement in order to even be accepted into the peace. If you wanted to go there regularly, you must be able to drop all prejudices for the sake of knowledge. To put it simply, a Ravenclaw, several decades after the school was founded, decided to create an area where all the houses could gather without fear and fighting. It was only fitting for that place to be in the Library, where most Ravenclaws go in search of safety and peace.

As wonderful as the place was, not many Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors were regulars. Most Hufflepuffs, understandably, were weary of Slytherins and would rather just stay away from them at all costs. Gryffindors, a lot of them, anyway, would pop by, break the peace, and then be cursed to never return by Aquanetta Keller, a half-blood Slytherin who was given the job to make sure offenders weren't able to return.

So, in the majority of the chairs that made up the Sanctuary, Slytherins and Ravenclaws thrived. Though, despite their fear, a large number of Hufflepuffs could be found, even if they tended to be fourth year or higher. And they tended to stay in large groups, trusting the saying 'There's safety in numbers'. At the moment, Basil could count only three Gryffindors, one of them being a Weasley, if the bright red hair was anything to go by. And if he remembered correctly, he was called Percy.

Percy was one of the few Gryffindors that had been accepted as a regular, instead of a visitor. Visitors are only allowed to come between the hours of eight a.m. and six p.m., while regulars are allowed to come and go at anytime they please. It was a precaution, if you will, to keep hostility to a minimum. Regulars could be trusted to keep the peace and their tempers. Therefore, they were rewarded with the ability to enter the wards at any time. Visitors, if they either came before or after the time slot, wouldn't be able to pass. Those exiled faced the same treatment, only they could never enter.

The only way to be let back in after being exiled was to speak to the, for lack of a better name, Bouncer, Aquanetta. Only she held the power to lift the wards surrounding someone. If she felt that someone was willing to make peace, she would lift the wards and let the student become a visitor.

It wasn't that big of a surprise that Basil had been accepted as a regular so quickly. He was in the same house as Aquanetta, so she could easily watch him. Besides, now he actually had a nice place to think. Though it was a pain having to work to be accepted each time he returned to the school even though he knew the charms protecting the Sanctuary. Closing his eyes, he let himself go back into the past. Something he rarely let himself do.

_Venus Randolf, a seventh year Ravenclaw muggleborn and Head Girl. Her long blonde hair was always pulled back, as she loved Potions had would simply _hate_ herself if her hair contaminated one of her projects. Her eyes were such a dark brown, they could sometimes be mistaken for black._

_Venus hated how the houses always fought one another, especially when her best friend, Samuel Sullivan, told her stories that were passed down in his family from the days of the Founders. Back then, almost everyone got along, with only a few squabbles here and there. Samuel was a Ravenclaw half-blood prefect. He had light brown hair and electric blue eyes._

_She had wanted to create a place where peace would reign, instead of rivalry. She wanted, with all her heart, to recreate the Founder days. When people got along, even if they were in different houses. So, along with her best friend, she created Sanctuary and all it's rules. She had decided in making the wards impossible to change, unless you had the correct password._

_Samuel, or Basil, had asked why she made it impossible to change._

"_Silly Sammy. I know you would never change the rules, but what about the students down the road? I believe these rules are fair. If they work now, they should work years from now. Besides, this way, we both take the password to our graves. I'll never dare to whisper it, even to my children, if you promise to try your best to see that Sanctuary makes it to the very end."_

_He promised. And Samuel knew that he'd keep his promise. Earlier, when they had been researching wards, she had made him promise something else._

"_Promise me that you'll see me again"_

"_I will. Tomorrow." He eyed her, wondering what she was getting at._

_Venus finally looked him in the eyes. "Once I leave Hogwarts, I want to see you again. You were the first person that was nice to me, just because they could be nice. You wanted nothing from me. And, because you're my friend, I want to see you."_

_That stung. He _had _to be nice to her. It was his job. But he shut himself down enough that he couldn't feel guilt, regret, or pain. _

"_I can't." He looked down and continued to jot down notes_

"_Why not?" The look she sent his way should have hurt. But it didn't. It was then, decades after he had been reborn that he had realized that he had no heart. He should have been filled with guilt that he couldn't even fulfill such a simple promise, but only annoyance made itself known. He wasn't capable of caring for people he'd never see again. And, more likely than not, he'd end up forgetting her. Besides, she was only a means to an end. But still, he had to play nice._

_It was his job._

_So, summoning up his inner Ravenclaw, he dodged her question simply. Ravenclaws are known for thinking quick on their feet. "What's the probability we'll have the chance? Our families run in different social circles, we're thinking about going into different professions. The chance we will even have time to see one another in small. That's why."_

_Of course he lied. He couldn't just say 'I'm doomed for all eternity to stay within the walls of the school because my little sister was an idiot and got herself killed and I was an even bigger idiot because I couldn't even dream of living without her.' Yeah. That'd go over real well._

"_Oh." She turned thoughtful for a bit. "Promise me that you'll either see me before I die, go to my funeral, or visit my grave."_

"_I can do that."_

_And being the idiotic fool he was, he did all three._

_Venus Randolf was seventy-four years of age. She was not only a potions master, but a teacher at an Italian magic school. She had been married, but her husband had died. She had two fully grown children, both who were muggles._

_The night before she died, a young man of seventeen with light brown hair and electric blue eyes showed up on her doorstep. In his hand was a bouquet of sunflowers. They had always been her favorite flower, but only four people had ever known that. Her parents, her little sister Karen (who had just married Benjamin Granger), and Sammy Sullivan. The boy who she hadn't seen in about fifty-six years. But she wasn't counting or anything._

_The look-alike tilted his head to the side slightly before narrowing his eyes in concentration. Sammy had always done that when thinking. Venus had a feeling he didn't even know he did it._

"_I have about three hours before I must leave." He waved the flowers in her direction. "I always keep my promises. Have you?"_

_It was right then she had realized that it was Samuel standing before her, and not one of his children._

_She smiled a knowing smile. If there was anyone better qualified at keeping Sanctuary going, it was Sammy. After all, he was still one of the two 'legendary administrators'._

_She died happy. Knowing that, not only did Sanctuary had a permanent guardian, but her best friend was there. And she hoped, as she felt her heart slowing down, that he had missed her just as much as she had him._

Oh, yeah. He'd bring the password to his grave. If he'd even be lucky enough to get one. Though, surprisingly enough, he had kept all of his promises to Venus. Of course, she was the only one. He hadn't even kept every promise that had to do with his sister. Then again, she sometimes asked some of the stupidest things.

Shaking his head of the memories, he quickly weaved through the plush chairs. He continued on until there were no chairs and bookshelves were the only furniture. People grew to be less and less until he made it to a small door. Pulling out a small, bronze key, he unlocked the door.

The news room. _The Daily Prophet, The Magical Times, _and many more newspapers that had to do with the magical society were neatly stacked and arranged. Only regulars actually had access to it, besides the staff. Many of the older articles were rare pieces of history, despite the fact they had once been delivered to hundreds of homes. No one keeps newspapers anymore, which is why only those who could be trusted were allowed to read them.

If Basil was going to catch up on the news of the past seven years, he'd better start reading. He had 2,555 days worth of news to catch up on. And it was going to take way longer than one night to read it all. In fact, he might need the entire weekend.

As he was pulling down the first article of the night, January 1st, 1984, when Aquanetta walked into the room. Hr hair was a curly, light brown with blonde highlights. She was lightly tanned with a pair of piercing blue eyes. She was five foot eight and still growing, though Basil had a feeling she wouldn't get too much taller. She was only a fourth year, but she was very proficient at transfiguration. In third year, when her boyfriend cheated on her, she turned him into a toad. Let's just say, Aquanetta wasn't a girl to make angry. But, she was a very kind soul. Something rarely found in Slytherins.

Turning around, she caught sight of Basil. She could sense that he was annoyed, but she knew it wasn't because she had randomly popped up. He had had the same air about him when he entered Sanctuary. And it was her job to make sure people were happy. Okay, not really. It was more of a self-imposed job.

So now, it was Basil's turn to be helped by her.

"What's wrong? Sister troubles?" Aquanetta walked over and plopped down in the chair across from Basil. He waited a second, before nodding. This was when the book would come in handy. He _had _to know if she was friend or foe.

"Tough. Listen, I don't know why you two, who were all buddy-buddy earlier on, are fighting, but you should fix it. Jazzy-Babe is moping in front of a pile of books and you, Bah-Bah-Black-Sheep, are sitting in a cramped, stuffy, dark room that's filled to the brim with newspaper articles. I don't know if this, somehow, makes you feel better, but stop it and and apologize!"

"…"

"Stop being being Mr. Silent, Black-Sheep."

"…"

"…"

"Fine. I'll talk to her." Basil sighed. Aquanetta had been chosen for a reason. Not only was she incredibly persuasive, she had this intense stare. She could look at you with her vivid blue eyes and convince you completely that she was right. The good thing? She usually was.

She smiled, clapping happily. "Good to hear! Now, if you two aren't on good terms by Monday, I'll have to take extreme measures!" She was glad that Black-Sheep was going to be on good terms with his sister again. Slytherins, by nature, tend to be solitary creatures. Their inability to trust no one but themselves was, not only annoying, but a needed trait for survival. Knowing who you could trust in Slytherin, especially when the entire house as a whole was well versed in word games and trickery, was pretty much impossible. One of the few rules that all Slytherins abided by is that family is the most important. No family member will ever intentionally hurt another. That's why Aquanetta was so insistent about Black-Sheep getting his sister back. She was the only one he could trust.

Basil watched, secretly happy, that the girl was finally leaving. He was glad that she had been chosen in order to protect Sanctuary, but she could be fairly annoying. Besides, she had taken up fifteen minutes of his precious time. Fifteen minutes he could have spent reading. Submersing himself in the article, he began catching up with the times. After seven years worth of newspaper articles, then seven years worth of music had to be studied. And then, maybe if he was feeling bored, he'd brush up on some slang and current literature. Though, that'd be much easier if Jasmine was actually _talking _to him.

That glare she had sent him earlier when they passed in the halls was quite devious. Dangerous, even. She'd probably be more willing to talk after a night's sleep. She always did feel better in the mornings. Probably a reflection of the past, no?

Jasmine sighed in contentment. A pile of parchment a few inches thick lay in front of her, looking completely innocent. Now, if only looks spoke of content. Written in her confusing handwriting (she tended to write words backwards), were pages upon pages on ways to kill, maim, confuse, and mess with people's minds completely and totally. What could be done with magic is completely and utterly amazing. Now, all she had to do was figure out how to turn all those words into actual spells. And having Basil around would actually have come in handy. He knew more than enough to create a few more spells for her. Oh, alright. More than a few spells. More than ten, less than a hundred. That was Jasmine's guess.

Did you know that there's several different types of magic? Wand magic, wandless magic, prediction magic, silent magic, creation magic, and chants. Now, chants are a completely different than any other type of magic. Chants could be done by anyone; muggle, wizard, or magical creature. But, because of the extreme power and magic they invoke, only those who have personally witnessed all three stages of life can use them. And, since most muggles don't know even how to start and or create a chant, only a few in the magical world were able to invoke them. And even then, chants were rare. If a chant is done wrong, no good could come from it. But, if done correctly, very powerful magic would be born. Basil was good with most types of magic, especially creation magics. Jasmine, on the other hand, was mediocre in all except chants. Of course, not wanting to bring about the destruction of the entire world, she used her knowledge of chants sparingly.

If she remembered correctly, a misused chant would cause the entire wizarding world to turn into some type of water fowl. Jasmine _still _couldn't remember which one it was. Ducks or canadian geese? Using a nifty little spell that Basil taught her, Jasmine sent all of her things to her room and had all of her books (waaaaaaaaay too many in her opinion) return themselves to their respected shelves.

The only thing Jasmine kept with her was her book in disguise. Quickly shuffling over to the Restricted section, she shoved her small book into a small opening. Making sure no one was watching her, Jasmine touched the spine of her book and muttered a few words under her breath. First, she lost all color until only silver and grays defined her. Stretching out her hand a little more, she let herself be sucked into the book.

Now within her book, four large, black doors stood in a circle around her against a blinding white background. The door that held the initials 'J.K.S.' led to her room. It was where she spent almost all of her time when not in the real world. Another door had the initials 'B.O.S.', and that door led to Basil's section of the book, where everything important about their job was kept for easy access. The third door had a silver 'X' painted on it. That door would let Jasmine return to the outside world. The fourth and final door was kept blank. It was an extensive passageway that led to each and every type of writing in every library in the entire world.

Once Jasmine had entered her book, not only did her color return, but her clothing and looks did as well. She was a few inches taller and her hair was shoulder length. The beginning of puberty was obvious on her body. Budding breasts and the scattering of pimples. Instead of the school uniform, she was wearing a pair of jean cutoff shorts, trainers, and a dark purple jumper. She looked exactly the same as the night she died. Which was the exact reason why she never _ever _looked into a mirror willingly when inside the book. And the second she turned twelve, she'd refuse to look into one until she was thirteen. She didn't want any reminders.

She opened the blank door and entered. Now, she was within an almost pitch black room. Thousands of candles floated around, giving just enough light so she could see the seven colored pads that were situated in a circle in the middle of the floor. Each of the seven continents were given a color. That way, it was much easier narrow down which library she wanted to visit.

Stepping on the green pad, Europe, the walls turned a matching shade of dark green. The other six pads lowered into the ground. Two more rose in front of the green pad. Once Jasmine stepped off, the green pad also disappeared into the ground. The red pad would bring up magical libraries, the yellow pad would bring up muggle ones. And she stepped on the red one. Once again, the entire room turned to red, so on and so forth.

After stepping on several other colored pads, the room had finally turned into a silvery color. Different colored doors appeared all over the room, names of different libraries painted on. Jasmine touched the Hogwarts door. It was painted garishly with green, blue, yellow, and red paint. After going through that door, several other doors were present. She picked the door that lead to the news room. She_ knew _that Basil would be sitting there, reading feverishly.

Jasmine walked through the door and returned instantly to her eleven year-old ghost form. She floated a few inches off the ground behind Basil. He was flipping through page after page, reading furiously.

"If you say you're sorry, I'll let you have the book." Jasmine grinned, keeping her ghost form. When she had first started talking, Basil had grabbed his wand and turned around quickly, a curse on his lips. Luckily, he had realized that it was Jasmine behind him and not an intruder before he had hurt her. Not that he could when she was a phantom.

"I'm sorry. Now, how did you get in here? I thought you couldn't get past the wards." Basil cocked an eyebrow and moved his chair so he'd be facing Jasmine. Even if Jasmine did find a hole in the wards, Aquanetta was smart enough to realize that someone had figured out how to break through. Idiots weren't chosen to protect Sanctuary.

"The book gives me access to everything, whether or not its protected by wards. Besides, Aquanetta wouldn't care if I'm here, as long as you're watching me." Basil didn't look convinced as she spoke.

Well, it wasn't her fault if he didn't feel like believing her.

"Where did you put the book?"

Jasmine let herself float up into the air. She twisted until she was laying on her back in the air. "The Restricted section. That's where it always is, anyway. You know, when you're asleep and I'm stuck in it."

"Idiot." He hissed under his breath. He knew Jasmine didn't hear it, otherwise she would've gone crazy. He spoke louder, so she'd be able to hear him. "Why did you leave it there? People have access to the Restricted section! Someone could remove it!" Basil gathered all of his things up, muttering angrily under his breath in several different languages, none of which Jasmine recognized.

Jasmine just floated there, watching in amusement. It was revenge for making fun of her.

Basil looked over at his sister as he was walking out the door. "We meet at the book, and I want _you _to look human. Don't you _dare _let anyone see you. Or I swear I'll kill you myself." With that, he disappeared out of the room.

Jasmine giggled before landing on her feet. Reaching behind her, she opened an invisible door. She stepped inside and returned to the silver room. In the center of the room, a black pad waited. Skipping over, she jumped onto the pad. The room returned to the original black color. Moving through the only open door, she was back in the Room of Four, as she fondly called it. Wishing she had a bit of time to look at her room, Jasmine jumped out of the door with the 'X'. She landed safely in front of her book, with no one but Basil to see her. She looked fully human, which was both of their goals.

Pulling the book down from its shelf, she handed it to Basil. "Happy now?" He only nodded in agreement as the two moved toward the entrance of the Library. It was late, almost past curfew. Not that either of them were planning on heading up to bed, anyway. On the weekends, they tended to revert to the strange habits they gain over the summer. For instance, their preference of being awake at night compared to day. During the weekends, it was common practice to stay up until breakfast, eat, and then go to sleep only to awake for dinner and start the process all over.

They kept quiet as they climbed up to the seventh floor. Basil was leading the way to the Room of Requirement, a place where they liked to spend time. Not many people knew of it, so they were often safe from others walking in. And even if someone did appear, they always made sure that there were several escape routes close by.

Once they made it to the hallway, Basil let Jasmine take control. He watched as she paced in front the blank expanse of wall. He never knew what she'd ask for, as it was different every time. But, he knew that, somehow, her choices always tended to be helpful. That, and she never forgot to add in a few convenient escape routes.

A black door appeared with the initials 'B.O.S.' written in silver. The doorknob was also silver. Carved along the edges of the door were green snakes twisting into knots before untangling themselves. Their fangs were constantly bared and, sometimes, a skirmish would break out between two or more snakes.

She opened the door so the inside could been seen. The ceiling was low, a little over six feet tall. The walls were made of stone but one could hardly tell because of the bookcases that lined the walls. The only piece of wall not covered by bookshelves held two portraits, both of which were asleep. Candles floated aimlessly, giving light. Two couches sat in the middle of the room, facing one another. Instead of wood, the couches were made of silver and black velvet. The black velvet had green embroidery of various pictures, none of which made sense.

"This, Brother, is what your records look like within my book. Everything you've ever read, written, or asked to see is all complied here." She waved her arms around as if she was trying to sell him something. She moved over to the bookcase closest, pulled out her wand, and lightly tapped the side. The bookcase moved forward until a hollowed out compartment behind was found. There were several strange items. A broken chicken's egg, a raven's feather, a silver ring with an 'S' written in emeralds, a gold chain with two 'G's in rubies, a pair of bronze earrings with the shape of an 'R' lined in sapphires, a gold bracelet with an 'H' written with both onyx and amber stones, a love letter signed by James Potter, and a glass eye.

"Hoard much?" He asked as he headed right to the couches. Jasmine ignored him as she continued to tap all of the sides. More and more items appeared, all with seemingly no purpose. Except to sit there, of course. But, at one time or another, each item had, not only served its purpose, but helped them to keep the brightest future. Besides, they felt obliged to do their very best, since it was, technically, their fault that Voldemort was even in existence.

"Hey, Basil?" Jasmine began rocking on her feet, trying to look as innocent as possible. A childish glint was hidden within her eyes.

He didn't look up when he grunted in acknowledgment. If he did, maybe the next scene could have been avoided. Actually, I lied. The scene was impossible to avoid, but there was a possibility of delay. Which, of course, Basil unwittingly ignored.

"I wanna travel."

"No."

"Why not?" Her voice took on a distinct whiney tone.

"I said no!" She snarled, glaring. He was _trying _to read. He was _trying_ to insure the safety of the world. He was _trying _to get the both of them out of this _stupid _mess _she _made because was a _bloody idiot_! And she wanted _him_ to drop everything at a moment's notice for a stupid whim! He loved his sister dearly, he truly did, but he just didn't want to deal with her at times. She had an inability to think properly a majority of the time. Sometimes, though he knew he'd do it again in a heartbeat, he wondered why he even bothered to save her from her death. And sometimes, just sometimes, he'd think of what his life could've been like if he had just let Jasmine die.

She pouted before snatching the book away from her brother. He made to grab for it back, but she was much to quick on her feet. She grabbed a blue ribbon that was sitting innocently on one of the many bookshelves and made sure to mark his page before flipping through the book. Basil had given up on trying to grab back the book, his face blank except for the slightest bit of annoyance that showed in his eyes.

If there was one thing he knew with all certainty, it was that trying to take a book from Jasmine and succeeding was impossible. And, over the many years he was completely and utterly _stuck _with her inane antics, he had learned several lessons which would, ultimately, save time, effort, and the unneeded shedding of blood. Rule One; Stealing books is impossible and, therefore, should not be done unless it is crucial. Rule Two; Fighting about the speed at which things should be done is useless, as Jasmine will refuse to see reason and continue at her own pace unless threatened. Rule Three; Talking about past boyfriends, and even girlfriends, will cause, not only her anger, but her barely stable magic will destabilize and cause a disaster that may not even be in the surrounding area. Rule Four; Any eating habits she acquires will not be spoken of. Period.

Basil watched with disinterest as Jasmine looked franticly through the book. Sighing, she chucked the book, quite violently, at his head. She crossed her arms and pouted in discontent when she couldn't fin what she was looking for.

"Mark my words," She hissed, accidently half slipping into a mangled version of parseltongue. "We _will _travel." She spun around and stormed out the door, making sure to slam it as hard as possible. The banging noise caused the two portraits to awake. They muttered to one another, obscene words filling the air as Basil settled down into the couch to read. He knew the two paintings quite well, and felt comforted by their presence. Before the book captivated the whole of his attention, one last thought flickered into his head about Jasmine.

Rule Five; Doubting Jasmine is, not only ineffective, but stupid as well, as she makes good on the saying 'If there's a will, there's a way'.


End file.
